The Big Cornish Write Up Part 5

Yup, well I've been wallowing...it's not a very positive place I'm in right now and to close my eyes is to awaken to another day of the same old tripe of which I have become accustomed, so the Internet is becoming both my twilight distraction and the cause of my non sleepy....but this schmooze is boring, a trifle selfish and as interesting as an episode of Eastender's so we'll move swiftly onward:

Day 6

6 days in a row and I've not only been awake before midday (8/9am in fact) but have been out and about and been involved in some form of puff inducing exercise....go me.

Okay, so today I covered the most in terms of mileage but in a somewhat cheaty fashion as it was time to say farewell Natty and the Newquay area to Helston and my very good friend, railway enthusiast, former bell ringer, Blackadder quoting and tractor driver, Tommo.....via Megan from Devon who became taxi driver for the day.

I booted my suitcase and we travelled north, the opposite direction to where I actually needed to be for getting to Helston but I was dying to visit a place called Bolventnor, smack bang in the middle of Bodmin Moor and a pub called Jamaica Inn (fans of Hitchcock should be familiar). It's a rustic looking place and is home to an impressive collection of smuggling artifacts and, apparently, a dozen or so ghosts....I was basically looking for a bit of inspiration for the cogs of creativity which have rusted in recent months. It was very interesting and also had a nicely put together tale of smuggling, murder and other such damsel-esque debauchery which entertained sufficiently to warrant the detour....as did the slice of chocolate cake.

There was some discussion as to the next course of action, as we had much time to kill before meeting with Tommo in Helston, and after much umming and ahhing it was decided that a place called St. Mawes (at least in the right vicinity) was worth an inspection. Megan's driving I might add was both satisfactory and at times not unlike Super Mario Cart, but got us from A-B without needing emergency services.

St Mawes is a nice picturesque village, opposite Falmouth, it's compact and no doubt can get rather congested in the busy months, fortunately for us it was a wet(ish) non holiday day which also enabled us to explore the small castle in the riverside.

We set off for Helston after a couple of hours exploring and met up with Tommo for a wonderfully filling at the Blue Anchor...one of the oldest pubs in the country with over 600 years of brewing.

Oh and also for your viewing pleasure here's some pics of Petworth Park, a place dad and I ventured to recently for a wander just before Autumn kicked in:

Credit Crumble....Lemon Flavour

Right, well, as some may be aware around a week and a half ago I pulled a muscle in my back while at work and have since been taking things easy....much DVD watching and moderate exercise taking. There had been a bubbling concern about funds since I'm earning pennies above the minimum wage and due to some dubious Co-op regulations I'm not entitled to sick pay.....And so, after a week, I popped some painkillers and ventured back to the workplace....

In a matter of two hours I was in agony...the choices of work being standing on till or stacking shelves....and my normal 10 minute walk home that night took 25 at a hobble....in the drizzle....and a box of tissues later I made the decision that more healing is needed....this however creates a snowball effect....more time off means little poundage in the pay packet (if any), since money was already extremely tight (in the whole "trying to be independent" thing) anything under a full pay cheque means rent fulfillment becomes problematic....and so, considering the prognosis for the back is 3-4 weeks of what they call 'active healing' (ie not completely on your arse all day but nothing to strenuous or for long periods in terms of activity) I've had to inform work as well as my landlady, that I'm handing in my notice....fortunately my parents haven't yet turned my old bedroom into a gym/study/guest room etc so I'll be Bognor bound ( in every sense of the word) for the immediate future.

Now, I become a statistic....at a time when unemployment has hit an all time high, not exactly where I thought I'd be at age 29, with a degree I can't use.....utterly pathetic.

The Big Cornish Write Up Part 4

Oh my good god, the boredom...I've watched Hairspray 3 times in the last 24 hours....it's the sing-a-long version dontcha know...and if my parents didn't realise, they may now have an inkling....ahem....anyhoo.....

Day 5

The first day of no concrete plans so it was a slow start, for a change. Upon seeing the blue skies outside it quickly became apparent that a walk was in order. I caught the bus to Crantock, a nice sand dune laden beach a short distance from Newquay and, initially, had only intended to wander along the headland...a nice circular walk in the 4-5 mile region.....before I knew it however I had wandered halfway to Perranporth.

Crantock Beach

Why you don't wander from the path on the Cornish coast
Where I stopped for a pastie, epic waves

I'd stopped a while at a place called Porth Joke a cove of idyllic proportions and ate my pastie while watching a group of three seal surfing in the epic waves (whipped up by the remnants of one of the recent hurricanes)....I could have sat there all day....I wandered over to Holywell bay, another lovely sand dune lined beach at which I enjoyed an ice cream while I emptied my trainers of accumulated sand. I was gong to call it a day there, catch the bus back to Newquay, but the sun was still shining and I knew I still had much puff to expend so I figured I'd at least venture around the headland to catch a glimpse of the famous Perranporth Beach....famous due to the Beeb TV series Seaside Rescue. When I got there however I realised I was now nearer to Perranporth the I was got Holywell bay and that since I could see the resort it shouldn't take too long to get there.....

I hadn't figured of course on the massive sand dunes and having to complete the last couple of miles of my journey walking along the beach...walking on a beach is difficult enough but ridiculously steep sand dunes is just, well....ridiculous. I got a little disorientated in the dunes when I had to venture off the main path and then tried to relocate the tiny little marker post while stopping every few minutes to empty have the beach from my footwear......still I eventually got back to civilisation and caught the next bus back to Newquay....the distance eventually covered by the way was 9 1/2 miles.....yes, for fun.

Mishaps and the Big Cornish Write Up Part 3

The forecast for the weekend just gone was warm, dry and most of all sunny...whoopee I thought, since the winter is fast approaching this may be the last time I can get 'out and about' and planned a walk to Kingley Vale on the Sunday with my Pa....I went to work on Saturday as per and about two hours in was unloading the delivery (the first shift in the last 5 I've not been on the poxy till I might add) and picked up a pack of dried milks....soon after I was frozen in place by a dozen red hot pokers stabbing into my lower back....I'd pulled a muscle, apparently quite an important one as it was around 6 or 7 minutes before I could even hobble out the back to sit. I left work early and have since been signed off for the week (today being the first day I can sit for a length of time to make an entry....couldn't even put on a pair of socks until yesterday)....and needless to say I didn't get to go on the walk over the Downs of which I was really looking forward to....oh well, at least I have some DVDs for company.

Anyway since I have some time, how about some more holiday write up:

Day 3

Forecast....rain, hmmmm, no surprise there....but anyway I had factored in some wet weather activities and so ambled away from town (down a bloody great hill) and through a picturesque park under an amazing viaduct (that's the train kind not the water kind....and yes I did have to look it up the make sure) to the local zoo. I'd figured if the weather was to be miserable what better way to spend the day than with a bunch of cute and equally bedraggled looking critters.

I somehow managed to time my ambling with several of the feeding times, including the otters, penguins (one of whom appeared to have a cold) and the lioness which was cool....I wiled away a few hours before heading back to base....skipping the ludicrously twisty, turney hill for for steep steps which I happened upon in the park.

Meerkat plus baby Meerkat....can I get an awww.

Ten points if you can you spot the critter in this photo

In the evening I went with Natty to the harbour to watch the rowing practice and instead spent much of the time watching the wild seal with was floating about.Day 4

The only problem with holidaying with oneself and using the power of foot is that it can become quite a mission, indeed of military precision and organisation, to get to where one wants to go and see all which one wants to see.

Today was two trains and a bus (with 2 buses on the return journey) to do the Bodmin and Wenford Steam railway (too much to ask that the national rail service would arrive to Bodmin Parkway station in conjunction with the steam railway timetable which is part of the steam railway route...oh no)....Still I managed to find the main station in town and relaxed for the 40 or so, chuff chuff, minutes journey through the outskirts of Bodmin and into the country...listening, as always, to the intellectual and observational conversation of the couple sitting opposite me which included 'Ooo, look at the trees, they're just like the ones at Centre Parks' and ' how about fish and chips with mushy peas for dinner tonight....there's protein in mushy peas' and also 'they must be goats, they can't be sheep, sheep have black heads and feet' (while looking a field of sheep....the dear lady, who I think was from London, apparently using the image of Wallace and Gromit's Shaun the sheep as a template for all sheep).....meh, provides entertainment for others I spose.It was a nice enough, although a budget stretching, outing but I actually found the mainline train route into Bodmin more scenic than the steam railway route also, and I know I've mentioned it previously but still, if you're ever in the Padstow/Newquay area make sure you take the 556 bus, preferably from the top of a double decker.....a thrill ride which will literally turn your knuckles white....the roads aren't really designed for the buses and incorporate blind corners, ridiculously steep hills and have a tendency to meet 4x4s at break neck speed which involve both vehicles having to 'hedge' as I have termed it.....the whole process is actually 'hope the breaks work...the standoff....the 4x4 back off and the hold ya breath 'hedge' maneuver'

After the immensely enjoyable bus ride I had just about enough time to get fed and watered before us ladies (Natty, her housemate and friends) set out in some truly gnarly weather (the remnants of one of the hurricanes from across the pond) for a movie night in Truro.....the Movie Mamma Mia (which we only realised was the sing-a-long version when we got inside).....this can only be described as the most surreal experience I think I've ever had...the film itself is borderline crazy, funny in a 'what the?' kinda way mix that with the all singing, all dancing audience....pass me the booze please somebody...did I partake in proceedings.....well, when in Rome......

After the viewing we left the theatre slightly gayer than we entered.